Conveyor-belt sorters



Nov. 22, 1960 J RABINOW CONVEYOR-BELT SORTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6. 1953 INVENTOR Jacob Kabzhow AGENT Nov. 22, 1960 J. RABINOW 2,961,093

CONVEYOR-BELT SORTERS Filed March 6. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIUJLE Illllll'll H llllllllillll /5 INVENTOR Jacob Rabi/70w BY W m,

AGE/VT Nov. 22, 1960 J. RABINOW 2,961,093

CONVEYOR-BELT SORTERS Filed March 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 21 25 x I 24 w 20 INVENTOR 5 Jawb Rabzhow 201) fig: 5 BY M Nov. 22, 1960 J. RABINOW 2,961,093

CONVEYOR-BELT SORTERS Filed March 6. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JIGENT United States CONVEYOR-BELT SORTERS Jacob Rabinow, Tokoma Park, Md, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce Filed Mar. 6, 1953, Ser. No. 340,939

18 Claims. (Cl. 209-74) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of 35 United States Code, Section 266.

The present invention relates to conveyor-belt sorters for various objects, particularly for data-bearing cards, and more particularly to a conveyor-belt card sorter which is capable of depositing the cards into any one of into a large number of pockets.

In the prior art there are several types of conveyorbelt machines which are capable of depositing cards into any one of a number of dilferent pockets. However, all of these machines have certain inherent limitations. In one such machine it is conventional to have a set of databearing cams conveyed along with the cards to be sorted. Each set of cams is positioned in accordance with the information on the card, and these cams in turn actuate mechanical levers to deposit the card into the desired pocket. In this type of machine difficulty arises because the maximum number of pockets into which the machine can sort is equal to the number of cams in each set carried by the conveyor belt; that is, if there are 8 cams in each set, one can sort into only 8 pockets. In another type of conveyor-belt sorter, which is well known, it is customary to set up the information in a timing device which is synchronized with the conveyor belt and which will open the appropriate gate into the desired pocket at the time at which the card arrives in this position. In these machines the timing and synchronizing mechanisms make the machines extremely complex and difficul-t to control and maintain.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor-belt sorter which can sort cards or other articles into a large number of pockets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor-belt sorter which is relatively simple and is easily maintained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor-belt sorter which the information designating the pocket into which the card is to be deposited is carried by a set of cams and where the number of possible pockets into which the cards can be deposited is far greater than the number of cams in each set.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor-belt sorter in which the pocket into which the card is to be deposited is selected in accordance with a binary code.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor-belt sorter in which a number of recognition devices can be used to control the sorting of cards into pockets or which can be used to tabulate the number of cards in a particular group.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a conveyor-belt sorter in which a series of groups (or sets) of cams are carried by the conveyor belt, each set of cams lying in a plane perpendicular to the path of travel of the conveyor belt. Each of these cams has Patented Nov. 22, 1960 two positions, an operable and an inoperable position, the position of the different cams in a particular group being determined by the mechanism that determines the pockets into which the cards are to be deposited. These cams actuate a series of electrical relays through the medium of electrical switches. A set of switches is positioned in proximity to each pocket into which the cards might be deposited. The cams actuate the switches, and when the cams are set up in such a way as to close all the switches in a set at the same time, the gate for that particular pocket will be opened and the card or article deposited therein. If the cams and switches do not have the same setting, then all the switches in a set will not be closed and the gate will not be opened. In this way a group of, say 8, cams can carry sufficient information to control the depositing of the cards in 256 difierent pockets, that is, 2 pockets.

Other uses and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the specification and drawings.

Figure l is a side elevation of the conveyor belt and sorting assembly with particular detail shown of the conveyor belt and the set-up mechanism for the cams.

Figure 2 is a top view of the sorter taken along line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the action of the cam-setting mechanism on the cams.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the side of the conveyor belt showing the track and gating assembly.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the electric switches at one pocket location, showing the action of the cams upon the switches.

Figure 6 is a top view of the switching mechanism showing the means for setting up the dilferent codes in each location.

Figure 7 is a detailed view of a single switch mechanism taken along line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram of the switches at one pocket location.

Figure 9 is a circuit diagram of the electronic relay control.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the conveyor belt 1 is made of two flexible endless bands 2 and 3, one band being situated on each side of the machine. Each band is made up of a series of overlapping bars 4 which are joined at their overlapping portions by the shafts 5 which also serve to hold the two bands together, thereby forming the conveyor belt. Positioned on each end of the shafts 5 are rollers 6 and the grooved rollers 6a, upon which the belt assembly rides. The belt is conveyed along between the guides 7 and 8. On the upper surface of the side of the guide 8 shown in Figure 1 there is formed a track 9 which cooperates with the grooved rollers 6a to prevent lateral movement of the belt. The belt is driven by the sprocket wheels 10, which in turn are driven by some suitable means through the gears 15. Card pawls 11 (see Figure 4) are mounted on each end of the shafts 5 just inside of the rollers 6 and 6a and push the card along a sectionalized track 12 which, as shown in Fig. 4 comprises the upper surfaces of a series of pivotally mounted gates 13. If less than the full number of pockets is to be used the length of the machine may be shortened by removing the desired number of bars 4 in the bands 2 and 3 and shortening the guide 7, which is made in sections for just such purposes.

If the machine is shortened extra recognition may be provided for the purpose of tabulating as hereinafter explained. Also the machine may be maintained at full length, and if it is not required to sort into all the pockets the extra recognition stations may be used for tabulating.

The track is made up of a series of gates 13 which are mounted on the rods 14. These rods extend from one I" 7 2,961,093 v p side of the machine to the other and are journaled in the base of the machine. Each rod extends through the base 16 on one side as shown in Figure 4 and has mounted thereon an arm 17 which is in juxtaposition with the solenoid 18. When the solenoid 18 is energized, it pulls down the arm ll! rotating the rod 14, causing the forward portion of the gate 13' to rise, which allows the card being carried by the pawls 11 to enter the appropriate pocket through this gate. The gates 13 in this manner provide a sectionalized track surface'when closed, over which the "cards are slidingly carried by the pawls 11. As many sections of gates 13 and associated pockets as is desired may beiin'corporated in the machine because of such construction.

Carried on each shaft is a presettable data storing means in which the address of a particular pocket can be stored as a predetermined code. The data-storing means comprises a group of cams MP, the number of which is determined by number of pockets into which it is desierd'to deposit the cards. There are eight such cams per group shown in the drawing. The cams are in the inoperative position as they approach cam-setting solenoids 19. Each solenoid controls a pin 21 which, when the solenoid is unactuated, is in a raised position above the path of travel of the cams and therefore does not contact them and the cams remain in the inoperative position. However, if the solenoid is actuated, the pin 21 is pivoted about the fulcrum 22, causing the vertical portion of the pin to be lowered. In the lowered position the pin catches the shoulder 23 of the cam and causes it to be rotated into the operative position (see Figure 3). The solenoids are energized in accordance with the information on the cards to be sorted. The means for reading and analyzing the card and coding the data for setting up the solenoids is not a part of the present invention and therefore is not shown. Each cam is mounted between friction washers and cooperates with a suitable stop pin on shaft 5, so that once it has been rotated into the operable position it will remain that way until it reaches the fence 31; the friction washers providing the necessary force to retain the cams in any position to whichthey have been rotated by the various mechanisms in the machine (see Figure 1). If the cam is in the-operative position, the fence cooperates with the lower protrusion 206 of the cam (see Figures 1 and 3) and causes the cam to be rotated into the inoperative position, this occurring before the cam is brought into position to again cooperate with the pin 21.

When the cam has been rotated into the operative position, the shoulder 24 of the cam is turned up and will contact'the sensing means or arms 27 of each of the selector means or switches 26-26g which lie in the path of travel of that particular cam. Figures 3 and 7 are positioned with respect to each other so as to show the position of the arm relative to operatively and inoperatively positioned cams. The selector-switches 26-26g, as'shown in Figure 5, are suspended above the pockets on a Bakelite or some other suitable base and are arranged in rows which are parallel to the shafts 5, there being one row of switches for each pocket. Each row of selector-switches comprises a plurality of switches equal to twice the number of cams mounted on each shaft 5. The switches consist of normally closed and normally open' sections as shown in Fig. 8 as defined by the three contact arms 27, 28, and 29 (see also Figure 7). The arm 27 normally contacts arm 28 to define a normally closed switch section and is extended past arm 28 to a position below the base to provide a sensing armfor operating the switch sections. If the cam with which arm 27 cooperates has been rotated into the operable position, the arm 27 will be moved forward by this cam. This will break contact between arm 27 and arm 28 of the normally closed switch section and cause arm 27 to contact arm 29 of the normally open switchsection.

The operation of the selection circuits will be described with reference to Figures 5-8. As previously explained, a card will be deposited in a pocket when one of the flippers 13 is raised by the action of the solenoids 18. The energization of the solenoids is controlled by the selector-switches 26-26g and the electronic circuit shown in Figure 9. When a circuit is completed through one of the groups of selector switches 26, the output of the electronic circuit is energized for a predetermined time, thereby energizing the solenoid. The overall circuit is opened or closed by the cams as will hereinafter be explained.

Referring to Figures 6 and 8, it will be seen that a particular switch in the group may be placed in an initially opened or closed position by means of the pin 32. The left-hand pin 32 is connected to the wire 33 which is connected in the grid circuit of the input tube of the electronic circuit. If this pin is connected to the arm 28, then the circuit is initially closed through pin 32, the switch section comprising arm 28 and arm 27, and pin 32a. If, on the other hand, the pin 32 is connected to the arm 29, as shown in Figure 6, then the circuit is initially open and will not be closed until a cam moves the arm 27 and causes it to contact arm 29. When this occurs the circuit is completed from pin 32 through the center arm 27 and the upper portion of the arm 27, which is another pin 32a. In turn this pin may be connected to a second arm 29a or to the arm 28a depending on how the pin is set. Again, if the arm 3211 contacts pin 29a, then the circuit is broken. If it contacts 28a the circuit will be closed. As shown in this figure, the pin 32a is in contact with 29a. The last pin 32d is permanently connected to the lead 31 which is connected to the other terminal of the grid circuit of the input tube of the electronic circuit. Assuming that all of the other pins 32 are connected to the arms 28 except pins 32 and 32a, it will be necessary for the first two cams on the left side of the shaft 3 to be in the up, or operative, position. In this case the two arms 27 and 27a will be raised and made to contact the arms 29 and 29a, completing the circuit at this point. Since the pins 32b and 320 are already contacting the arms 28b and 28c, the circuit is completed through this section of the switch and therefore a complete electrical circuit will be established when, and only when, the first two arms are raised. However, if another cam, say under the arm 27!) is in the actuated position, then at the same time that the arms 27 and 27a are being brought into contact with 29 and 29a, the arm 27b will be taken out of contact with arm 28a and therefore the circuit will be opened at this point. As can be seen from this, each group of switches can be actuated only by a configuration of cams which corresponds exactly to the condition set up by the pins 32. It is upon this basis that a binary system of selection of the proper pocket may be used; that is, for eight cams 2 pockets (256 pockets) may be chosen. This can be demonstrated in the following manner.

If the pin 32 on the left side is the only one contacting the arm 29, then, if a card is to be deposited in the pocket controlled by this group of switches, the cam in the left position can be the only one actuated. If any others are actuated, some other part of the circuit will be broken and the electronic circuit will not be energized. In the case actually shown in Figures 6 and 8, it takes two cams to cause the circuit to be completed. It is entirely possible that all the pins 32 may be contacting the arms 29, and in that case all eight cams must be actuated. All possible positionsbetwe'en no cams actuated and all eight cams actuated may be obtained, and this amounts to 256 different configurations. The nocam combination is generally used for the last pocket.

As can be seen, for any particular location, the code combination necessary may be easily changed by simply moving the pins 32 from one position to the other, that is, contacting arms 29 or contacting arms28. This results in a quick and easy operation and allows great flexibility in the operation of the machine. The referred-to selector switches therefore provide an adjustable data registering means which can be selectively preset by means of the pins 32 in accordance with a pattern representing the coded binary address of a particular pocket. It may be desirable where it is anticipated that the number of cards in one category is larger than can be contained in a single pocket to arrange the switches in two sets so that they will both respond to the same configuration of cams. To do this it is necessary to be able to transfer the sorting from a first pocket to a second pocket when the first pocket becomes full. This is accomplished by means of the card tray a and the switch (Figures 1 and 8). The switch 25 is located at the bottom of each pocket in such a position that when the card tray 20a has been completely depressed by the weight of the cards acting against the pressure of the spring on the bottom of the tray, the tray opens the switch 25, which is connected in the wire 33 leading to the pin 32. The operation of this part of the machine is as follows. Initially two sets of switches (preferably those controlling two consecutive gates) are set up with the same electrical configuration. Both gates will be actuated at the start, but since all of the cards in this category will fall out at the first pocket none will enter the second pocket. However, when the first pocket becomes full and the switch 25 is opened the circuit controlling the gate to the first pocket is rendered inoperative and thereafter the cards will be sorted into the second pocket. This system is not limited to two pockets but may be used with any number desired.

Although the solenoids 18 could be actuated directly through the switching mechanisms, in the present case an electronic circuit has been interposed between the switches and the electromagnets to allow the time of actuation of the electromagnets to be made variab e and to prevent sparking across the contacts of the switches.

Operation of the electronic device will be described with reference to Figure 9. The switch 26 in Figure 9 represents an entire group of switches as previously described. When the switch 26 is open, the grid 34 of the A section of tube 36 is approximately at ground potential. The cathode resistor 37 in the cathode circuit 38 of section A maintains the cathode at a positive potential with respect to the grid as a result of conduction under initial conditions of the B section of the triode. The B section is maintained conducting by the connection of its grid to the B+ supply through resistor 41. In the steady state no voltage is applied to the control grid 42 of the tube 43, since the cathode of this tube is grounded, and the grid is connected to a minus voltage. The tube is nonconducting, and the coil 18a of the solenoid 18 is not energized. When the switch 26 is closed, the circuit is completed from 13+ to ground through resistor 44, switch 26, and resistor 46. The two resistors act as a voltage divider, thereby preventing excessively high voltage being applied to the grid 34. The capacitor 47 shunts resistor 46 and therefore determines the time delay between application of the voltage across resistor 46 and build-up of this voltage to its final value. Because of this time constant of resistor 46 and capacitor 47, it takes some predetermined time for the full voltage to appear at the grid 34. The resistor and capacitor values are chosen in such a manner that if any of the contacts of the switch 26 bounce, very little voltage will be lost as the result of the discharge of capacitor 47 during the non-conducting period. When the voltage across capacitor 47 is built up to the proper value, the A section of tube 36 will begin to conduct. The A and B sections of tube 36 comprise a modified type of the Schmidt one-shot multivibrator. Therefore, when the voltage at the grid 34 has reached a critical value, the voltage at the plate of the B section of tube 36 will rise for a period of time determined by the values of the grid resistor 41 and the coupling capacitor 48. It is by the use of this resistor 41 and capacitor 48 that it is possible to maintain the solenoid 18 in the actuated condition for a longer period of time than the switch 26 remains closed. The positive pulse appearing at the plate of 36B is applied through the capacitor 49 to the grid 42 of the tube 43 and drives the grid to a slightly positive voltage, thereby causing the tube 43 to conduct. The current in the plate circuit energizes the solenoid coil 18a. The contacts 51 are interposed between the B+ supply and the coils 18a to prevent the solenoids from going through random motions while the machine is coming up to speed. The actuator for these contacts, which is not shown, is connected across the motor, and when the voltage has been supplied across the motor for a sufficient length of time, determined by the actuator, the contacts 51 will be closed and the circuit will be ready to operate. The circuit of Figure 9 shows several resistors and capacitors whose function is not explained, since the circuit of Figure 9 is well known in the electronic art.

One of the electronic circuits shown in Figure 8 is associated with each group of switches 26; that is, if there are ten pockets into which it is desired to deposit cards, there must be ten groups of switches 26, and therefore there will be ten such electronic circuits.

The apparatus for setting up the cams and for operating a gating means through the actuation of coded recognition circuits is not restricted to use with perforated cards but is applicable for use with many types of articles. The coding and recognition system would remain the same regardless of the article to be sorted, while details of the conveyor belt, the gates, and track for the articles would have to be altered in accordance with the characteristics of the articles to be sorted.

Another variation, which is possible with the conveyorbelt sorter described above, is that instead of using all possible combinations of cams, such as for instance 256, to drop cards into 256 pockets, it is possible to use a fraction of this number of possibilities for sorting cards, say for instance, into 56 pockets and to make use of the other 200 combinations for tabulating purposes. In the case of certain sorting operations, it is more important to tabulate data contained on punched cards than to physically separate the cards. This type of sorting is particularly applicable to operations such as those carried on by the Bureau of the Census. If this is desired, then recognition switches of the same type as described may be used to operate counters rather than to operate the opening and closing of gates. Recognition switches for tabulating purposes need not be mounted in any particular position along the bottom track of the conveyor but may be mounted intermediate to the sorting switches and anywhere along the upper track.

The invention is not restricted to use with a binary code; any suitable code may be used. Also, three or more position cams may be used to increase the number of gates that may be controlled by a given number of switches. This arrangement is particularly applicable to hydraulic systems where multiposition valves are standard equipment. Such a series of cams can, of course, be used in the electrical system. This would, however, greatly complicate the switches.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A machine for sorting data-bearing cards, comprising a conveyor having a series of sets of pawls, each set for conveying one of said cards, a group of cams mounted on the conveyor adjacent each of said sets of pawls respectively and being disposed at right angles to the direction of travel of said conveyor, sorting means the number of which is in excess of the number of cams in each group whereby a card conveyed by each set of pawls is selectively removed from the conveyor by said sorting means said cams having an operative and an inoperative position, a group of solenoids equal in number to the number of cams in each group for setting any desired number and configuration of cams in each group into theoperative position, each of said solenoids setting the cam with which it is associated into the operative position when said solenoid is actuated, said solenoids being actuated in accordance with the data on said card, electromagnets for actuating each of said sorting means when said electromagnets are rendered operative, and a series of means for actuating said electromagnets, each of said meanscomprising a circuit including a series of normally closed and normally open switch sections, the number of said sections being equal to twice the number of cams in each group, each of said switch sections having selector means for initially selectively connecting either a normally open or normally closed switch section into said circuit, a sensing arm associated with each switch section, said arm being positioned so as to be actuated .by an operatively positionedcam and to be left unactuatedby an inoperatively positioned cam, .an actuated arm opening a normally closed switch section and closing a normally open switch section, one of said electromagnets being rendered operative when all of the switchesin the series with which it is associated are closed.

2. A conveyor-belt sorter for sorting data-bearing cards, comprising a series of pockets, a sectionalized track above said pockets, a conveyor belt common to all of said pockets, a series of sets of pawls secured to and positioned alongsaid conveyor belt, each of said sets of pawls conveying a card along said selectionalized track, said sectionalized track comprising a plurality of gates, there being one above each pocket for causing the cards to fall into the pocket with which each gate is associated, an electromagnet for opening each of said gates when said electromagnet is energized, a group of adjustable cams secured to said conveyor belt adjacent each set of pawls and being disposed at right angles to the direction of travel of said conveyor belt, the number of pockets into which the cards may be sorted being equal to two to the x power where x is the number of.cams in each group,.said cams having an operative and an inoperative position, a group of solenoids equal in number to the number of cams in each group for setting any desired number and configuration of cams in each group into the operative position, and av series of means for energizingsaid electromagnets, there being one of said means for each electromagnet, each of said means comprising acircuit including a series of normally closed and normally open switch. sections the number of saidv sections being equal to twice the number of cams in each group, each of said switch sections having selector means for initially selectively connecting. either a normally open or normally closed switch section into said circuit, a sensing arm associated with each switch section, said arm being positioned so as to be actuated by an operatively positioned cam and to be left unactuated by an inoperatively positioned cam, an actuated arm opening a normally closed switch section and closing a normally open switch section, an-electromagnet being rendered operative when all of the switches in the. serieswith which it is associated are closed.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which means are provided to render said means for energizing said electromagnets inoperative whenthe pocket associated with said means becomes full. Y

4.,A machine for sorting articles, comprising a conveyor including a series of sorting means capable of conveying each article past all of said sorting means in sequence, presettable datastoring means'carried by said conveyor, means for settingup anarbitrary. configuration of said presettable means for storing the address of a particular sorting means in accordance with a predeter mined code, selection means juxtaposed to. each of said sorting means, each of said selection means comprising adjustable data registering means adapted to be select'ively preset in accordance'with a. predetermined one of said arbitrary configurations to representthe coded address of its respective sorting means and sensing means operatively connected to said registeringmeans and cooperably engageable with said data storing means for comparing said stored and registered addresses, and means connected to said selection means and energizable upon. coincidence between said addresses foractuating said sorting means.

. 5. A machine for sorting. a number of articles, comprising a number of sorting means, article carrying means capable of delivery of said articles to said sorting means, said carrying means containing individual carriers for moving separately each of said articles, saidindividual carriers "including presettable data storing means, means for setting up an arbitrary configuration of said presettable means for storing the address of a particular sorting means in accordance with a predetermined code, each of said sorting means comprising selection means having adjustable data registering means adapted to be selectively preset. in accordance with a predetermined one of said arbitrary configurations to represent the coded address of its respective sorting means and sensing means operatively connected to said registering means and cooperably engageable with said data storing means for comparing said stored .and registered addresses, and means connected to said selection means and energizeable upon coincidence between said addresses for actuating said sorting means.

6. A machine for sorting articles, comprising a number of sorting means, a series of pawls capable of conveying the articles to be sorted past said sorting means, a group of presettable data storing means carried by each of said pawls, each of said data storing means being selectively settable. to either one of two positions, means for setting an arbitrary configuration of said datastoring means in each group into a first of said positions in accordance with a predetermined code representing the address of a particular sorting means, a series of selection means for actuating said sorting means, each of said selection. means comprising adjustable data registering means adapted to be selectively preset in accordance with a predetermined one of said arbitrary configurations to represent the coded address of its respective sorting means and sensing means operatively connected to said registering means and cooperably engageable with said' data storing means for comparing said stored and registered addresses, and means connected to said selection means and energizable upon coincidence between said addresses for actuating said sorting means.

7. A machine for sorting a number of articles, comprising means capable of conveying the articles to be sorted, a group of presettable data-storing meanscarried by each of said conveying means, a'numberof sorting means in excess of the number by at least 2 of datastoring means in each of said groups, each of said datastoring means being selectively settable. toeither one of two positions, means for setting an arbitrary configuration of said data-storing means in each group into a first of said positions in accordance with a predetermined code representing the address of a particular sorting means, a series of selection means for actuating said sorting means, each of said selection means comprising adjustable data registering means adapted to be selectively preset in accordance with a predetermined one of said arbitrary configurations to represent the coded address of its respective sorting means and sensing means operatively connected to said registering means and cooperably engageable with said data-sorting means for comparing said stored and registered addresses, and means connected to said selection 9 means and energizable upon coincidence between said addresses for actuating said sorting means.

8. The invention of claim 7 in which said data-storing means comprises a group of cams, and in which there is a separate selection means for actuating each of said sorting means, said sensing means comprising a group of arms equal in number to the number of cams in each group, each of said arms being positioned to be actuated by a cam when the latter is set to a first of said positions and to be left unactuated when the cam is set to the second of said positions.

9. The invention of claim 8 in which said means for setting said data-storing means comprises solenoids.

10. A machine for sorting a number of articles, comprising means capable of conveying the article to be sorted, a group of presettable data-storing means carried by each of said conveying means, a number up to 2 of sorting means opera-tively related to said data-storing means where n represents the number of presettable datastoning means in each group, each of said data-storing means being selectively settable to either one of two positions, means for setting an arbitrary configuration of said data-storing means in each group into either of said positions in accordance with a predetermined code representing the address of a particular sorting means, a series of selection means for actuating said sorting means, each of said selection means comprising adjustable data registering means adapted to be selectively preset in accordance with a predetermined one of said arbitrary configurations to represent the coded address of its respective sorting means and sensing means operatively connected to said registering means and cooperably engageable with said data-storing means for comparing said stored and registered addresses, and means connected to said selection means and energizable upon coincidence between said addresses for actuating said sorting means.

11. A conveyor system of the character set forth comprising a conveyor, a plurality of index devices traveling with said conveyor and each comprising a set of index elements each adapted to be individually and selectively set in a projected or in a retracted position, readers disposed at fixed locations along the conveyor path in the line of travel of the index devices, each reader having operating means comprising at least one bank of switches with interconnected fixed contacts and with movable contacts adapted for actuation by elements of a passing index device, and a trip device operable by closure of an electrical circuit controlled by said bank of switches.

12. A conveyor system of the character set forth comprising a conveyor, a plurality of index devices traveling with said conveyor and each comprising a set of index elements each adapted to be individually and selectively set in a projected or in a retracted position, readers disposed at fixed locations along the conveyor path in the line of travel of the index devices, each reader having operating means comprising at least one bank of switches disposed for actuation by appropriately set index elements of a passing index device, each said switch having a con tact moveable to alternatively engage one or the other of a pair of fixed contacts of the switch, and an electromagnetic trip device to initiate action on goods passing with the conveyor, selected fixed contacts of the various switches being connected in circuit with said trip device, whereby the passing of an appropriately set index device makes said circuit to energize the trip device.

13. A conveyor system of the character set forth comprising a conveyor, a plurality of index devices traveling with said conveyor and each comprising a set of index elements each adapted to be individually and selectively set in a projected or in a retracted position, readers disposed at fixed locations along the conveyor path in the line of travel of the index devices, each reader having operating means comprising at least one bank of switches disposed for actuation by appropriately-set index elements of a passing index device, each said switch having a contact movable to alternatively engage one or the other of a pair of fixed contacts of the switch, a plurality of transfer fingers each positioned below one of said movable contacts and in the path of a projected element of passing index devices, so as to be moved by such element and transmit the movement to the associated movable switch contact, and an electromagnetic trip device to initiate action on goods passing with the conveyor, selected fixed contacts of the various switches being connected in circuit with said trip device, whereby the passing of an appropriately-set index device makes said circuit to energize the trip device.

14. A conveyor system of the character set forth comprising a conveyor, a plurality of index devices traveling with said conveyor and each comprising a set of index elements each adapted to be individually and selectively set in a projected or in a retracted position, readers disposed at fixed locations along the conveyor path in the line of travel of the index devices, each reader having operating means comprising at least one bank of switches disposed for actuation by appropriately-set index elements of a passing index device, each said switch having a contact movable to alternatively engage one or the other of a pair of fixed contacts of the switch, a setting device comprising a set of individually-operable elements each adapted to be projected or retracted relatively to a datum position to control the positioning of a corresponding part of the switch means of the reader, thereby to change the index combination acceptable to this reader, and an electromagnetic trip device to initiate action on goods passing with the conveyor, selected fixed contacts of the various switches being connected in circuit with said trip device, whereby the passing of an appropriatelyset index device makes said circuit to energize the trip device.

15. A conveyor system as defined in claim 14, in which the switch means comprise a set of index switches disposed for operation by passing index devices, and a set of control switches settable at will to different contact combinations to vary the index combination to which the switch means are responsive for operating the trip device.

16. A conveyor system of the character set forth comprising a conveyor, a plurality of index devices traveling with said conveyor and each comprising a set of index elements each adapted to be individually and selectively set in a projected or in a retracted position, readers disposed at fixed locations along the conveyor path in the line of travel of the index devices, each reader having operating means comprising two interconnected sets of switches, viz. an index set operable by passing index devices, and a control set in which each switch has a movable contact for alternative engagement with one or other of a pair of fixed contacts, a setting device for varying, at will, the contact engagement in each of the control switches thereby to vary the index combination acceptable to the set of index switches, and a trip device operable in response to the closure of the index switches in accordance with this acceptable combination.

17. A conveyor system as defined in claim 16, in which each switch of both the index set and the control set includes two fixed contacts and a third movable, in the case of the index set by a projected index element of a passing index device and in the case of the control set by the corresponding element of the setting device, to engage one or other of the fixed contacts, and in which the correspondin pairs of fixed contacts of each associated pair of control and index switches are electrically interconnected, whilst the movable contact of each control switch is connected to the movable contact of the next-adjacent switch of the index set, and the movable contacts of the end switches are connected in circuit with the trip device.

18 A conveyor system as defined in claim 16, in which the control switch set and the setting device are located vey References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Trew Sept; 10, 1918 Whittlesey Mar. 20, 1923 Thompson July 9, 1929 Weiner June 30, 1931 Burkert Nov 10, 1931 12 Knutsen July 4, 1933 Bryce Apr. 13, 1937 Roop May 25, 1954 Boer Nov. 13, 1956 Carnine et a1 Nov. 5, 1957 Goerlich et a1. Oct. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 10, 1933 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1948 France Sept. 30, 1957 

